New York City, May 21 – NYC Transit bosses are guilty of murder, and the transit workers’ union leader is guilty of helping them cover up the crime.
Transit worker Louis Moore was dragged to his death in the tunnel in Astoria last month. He was walking to get to the platform when his tool bag caught on a gate he was trying to open. As he struggled with his bag, the E-train roared in, snagged the bag, and pulled him under the wheels.
Louis was born in Jamaica and was a single dad who lived with his teenage daughter. He had been on the job for eight years. Six years ago to the day, track worker Daniel Boggs was killed by a train at Columbus Circle and a few days later, maintenance supervisor James Knell was electrocuted after falling onto an exposed third rail.
Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 President John Samuelson, a former track worker, called Louis’ death an “accident” — but nothing could be further from the truth. These deaths are caused by a Transit Authority that years ago did away with the flagman whose job was to protect workers on the tracks by stopping trains until the workers were clear. One former track worker said that deaths like these could be prevented that way. In fact, when outside trades workers are contracted by the
Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) for track work they get that protection — but TWU members do not. The MTA is more concerned with paying the big banks billions in interest profits than providing safe conditions for transit workers and riders.
This is the murderous culture of the transit bosses. Former Track Director Steve Fiel left the MTA to take the same job at Washington, DC Metro from 2006 to 2008.  About six workers died on the tracks during his time there.  And his refusal to recognize the failures of the Automatic Train Control System led to a major collision that killed nine people in 2009.
The TWU leadership has been passive since the defeat of their last strike and the loss of automatic dues check-off. We are working under a contract that expired two years ago. While the body count climbs, PLP is building a revolutionary movement to destroy the racist profit system. In these dangerous tunnels, PLP is at work.